Dental instrument hose clip with selector valve

ABSTRACT

A clip for releasably holding the cable of a drill or other dental instrument has adjustable and spring-pressed rollers or wheels cooperating with a subjacent adjustable support for gripping the cable. The adjustments permit ready insertion and removal by moving the cable transversely to its axis, while holding against movement parallel to the cable axis. The movement of the support operates a bleed valve for activating the fluid supply to the instrument when its cable is gripped in the clip.

United States Patent [191 Page [ 1 Jan. 23, 1973 DENTAL INSTRUMENT HOSE CLIP WITH SELECTOR VALVE [76] Inventor: Richard W. Page, P. O. Box 2588,

Chatham, Mass. 02633 [22] Filed: May 4, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 34,124

[52] US. Cl. ..137/560, 242/107.2, 32/22 [51] int. Cl ..A6lc 19/00 [58] Field of Search....l37/560, 580, 355.16, 355.19; 24/132 $8,134, 126 B, 136 A, 254; 242/1072 X, 151; 32/22 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,781 5/1933 Wolfe, Jr ..24/254 1,849,924 3/1932 Hall et a1. ...24/l36.2 3,304,609 2/1967 Horowitz et a1. ..32/22 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 808,436 11/1936 France ..32/22 Primary ExaminerWilliam R. Cline AttorneySawyer & Kennedy [57] ABSTRACT A clip for releasably holding the cable of a drill or other dental instrument has adjustable and springpressed rollers or wheels cooperating with a subjacent adjustable support for gripping the cable. The adjustments permit ready insertion and removal by moving the cable transversely to its axis, while holding against movement parallel to the cable axis. The movement of the support operates a bleed valve for activating the fluid supply to the instrument when its cable is gripped in the clip.

9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 23 I975 DENTAL INSTRUMENT HOSE CLIP WITH SELECTOR VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is known practice to provide dental apparatus including an instrument support which can be placed in a convenient working location with relation to the patients mouth, the support being fitted with holders for a variety of instruments and with clips or other means for holding the cables of the instruments while the instruments are in use.

In some cases, the instrument cable is gripped against longitudinal movement, and not merely supported, by the clip. Since the cables vary from instrument to instrument in diameter, compressibility and contour, depending on the material used in the outer tubular member and the number and size of inner fluid-conducting members, it has been found difficult to provide clips of the type indicated which will operate reliably.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clip which permits easy insertion and removal of the cable but still grips firmly against longitudinal or sliding movement.

In prior instrument arrangements, the instrument fluids have been turned on manually or upon removal of the instrument from a hook or other holding member. It is an object of the present invention to inter-relate the selection of instrument and the activation of its fluid supplies in an automatic manner, while synchronizing it better with the commencement of use of the instrument.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The clip of the invention utilizes spring pressed wheels cooperating with a subjacent support so as to grip with maximum force against longitudinal movement (parallel to the cable axis) while permitting easy insertion and removal by transverse movement (more or less at right angles to the cable axis). The minimum separation between wheels and the height (distance from common axial plane of the wheels) of the support can be adjusted to provide for different sizes of cable. One of the wheels is urged toward the other by an adjustable spring, making further provision for adjustment according to cable size, and also adjusting for variation in cable compressibility. Insertion of the cable operates a bleed valve which controls supply of air and water to the instrument.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING In the drawing FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a clip according to the invention, a cable held therein being indicated in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a corresponding front elevation, with a cover plate removed;

FIG. 3 is a back elevation;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line iv--iv of FIG. 3.

SPECIFICATION The clip comprises a body or block 1 on which the cable gripping elements are carried. The front face of the block is recessed, as at 2, to provide space for the wheels 3,4 and the back is recessed, as at 5, to accom- LII modate the valve operating means described below. The block also has a central opening 6, facing upward, which accommodates the cable 7 held by wheels 3,4.

Wheel 3 is freely rotatable on a fixed pivot shaft screw 8, which screws into the block 1, and is held in position axially by cover plate 9, which attaches to block 1 by means of screws 10, and has a sufficient clearance from wheel 3 so as not to interfere with the free turning of the wheel.

Wheel 4 is rotatably carried by pivot shaft screw 11 in the fork l2 of a bell-crank arm 13, the arm being pivotally mounted in the block front recess 2 by means of fixed pivot screw shaft 14 so that the arm is movable to permit yielding and adjusting movement of the wheel 4. Set screw 15, threadably carried in block 1, engages the lower end of arm 13 inwardly (to the left) of the axis of pivot 14, so as to limit the inward (counterclockwise) movement of wheel 4 toward the fixed wheel 3. Projection 16 on arm 13 is engaged by spring 17, which urges the arm 13 yieldingly in a direction (counterclockwise) to press wheel 4 against a cable gripped between the wheels 3,4. The lower end of spring 17 is carried on a set screw 18 which is threadably carried in block 1, and by means of which the force of spring 17 may be adjusted.

Downward movement of a cable gripped between the wheels 3, 4 is limited by a stop member 20, which is pivotally carried by pivot shaft screw 21. Set screw 22 engages the underside of stop member 20, limiting its downward movement and thus permitting its adjustment to support the bottom of a cable at a desired level below the wheels 3, 4. The upper end of member 20 is offset and extends, through the the central opening 6 of the block 1, into the recess 5 at the back of the block, for operating the valving arrangement now to be described.

Valve arm 23 (FIG. 3) is pivotally mounted to block 1 by pivot shaft set screw 24, and its upper end carries a screw-adjustable abutment element 25, which engages under the end of the member 20, so that pushing member 20 down will also depress the valve arm 23. The middle part of arm 23 carries a resilient plug 26, which engages against the end 27 of tube 28 carried in body 1, so as to close off the tube and block airflow therethrough. A spring 29 urges arm 23 upwardly, normally closing valve 26-27 and also holding member 20 in an upward position, spaced from wheel 3. As will be apparent, when an instrument cable is pressed down on stop member 20, between the wheels 3, 4 it will depress arm 23, thus opening valve 26-27. Resultant air flow through connection 30 is utilized to cause operation of selector valve means so as to activate supply of turbine air, and air and water spray fluids, to the instrument, as by utilizing pressure drop across an orifice to actuate appropriate diaphragm valves.

The structure shown by way of example may be adapted to different sizes and types of cables by selecting the dimensions and proportions of the parts. In a typical case, the wheels 3, 4 may have a half inch diameter and the clip may accommodate cables in a range from a quarter inch to five eighths inch, which is suitable for practically all usual requirements. The cable inserts and removes very easily by reason of the free turning of wheels 3, 4 and the yielding of wheel 4. Tension on the cable is, however, strongly resisted, as

any axial or longitudinal movement must take place by overcoming the sliding friction between the wheels and cable.

The bore of tube end 27 may be small, so that an ounce or two of pressure of the valve body 26 fill serve to hold the valve in closed position, with the controlled air at an operating pressure such as fifteen pounds per square inch or thereabouts.

What is claimed is 1. In a dental instrument apparatus, a clip for releasably holding the cable of a dental instrument while the said instrument is in use, said clip comprising a pair of spaced opposed wheels, means mounting said wheels substantially coplanar with each other for rotation about axes in a common axial plane and a support below said wheels in the same plane therewith and cooperating with the wheel peripheries to grip a cable extending at right angles to the plane of said support and wheels to prevent its movement along its axis, while permitting insertion and removal of the cable by movement transverse to its axis, and means rigidly supporting said support at a predetermined distance from said common axial plane.

2. A clip according to claim 1, comprising also means yieldingly urging said wheels together.

3. A clip according to claim 2, comprising adjustable stop means for maintaining a selected minimum spacing between said wheels.

4. A clip according to claim 1, in which said means rigidly supporting said support comprises a member and adjustable means for placing said member at a selected distance from the common axial plane of the wheels.

5. A clip according to clam 2, in which said means yieldingly urging said wheels together comprises a spring, moveable wheel supporting means engaged by said spring for urging the last said means and a wheel supported thereby toward the other wheel, and an adjustable reaction member for the spring, whereby adjustment of said reaction member regulates the force exerted by said spring.

6. A clip according to claim 1, in which said means mounting sad wheels comprises a swingably mounted arm rotatably supporting one of said wheels, a set screw engaging said arm to limit movement of the wheel carried thereby toward the other said wheel and adjustable to fix the minimal distance between said wheels, a spring engaging said arm to urge it toward the other said wheel and a second set screw adjustably supporting said spring to vary its force against said arm, and in which said support comprises a pivotal arm below said wheels and the said means rigidly supporting said support comprises a third set screw for adjusting the height of said support.

7. A clip according to claim 1, comprising bleed valve means operated by said support, for operating selector valve means to supply operating fluid to the instrument when its cable is gripped in the clip.

8. A clip according to clam 7, in which the said bleed valve means comprises a pivotally mounted arm and valve body carried thereby in operating relation to a seat, spring means urging the last said arm to press said body against said seat, adjustable screw means carried by said arm and engaging said cable support to move the valve operating arm to an open position when the said cable support arm is depressed by a cable inserted in said clip, while permitting said screw means to close the valve when the clip is empty.

9. A clip according to claim 8, in which said valve operating arm moves between substantially fixed positions, regardless of the vertical adjustment of the cable support. 

1. In a dental instrument apparatus, a clip for releasably holding the cable of a dental instrument while the said instrument is in use, said clip comprising a pair of spaced opposed wheels, means mounting said wheels substantially coplanar with each other for rotation about axes in a common axial plane and a support below said wheels in the same plane therewith and cooperating with the wHeel peripheries to grip a cable extending at right angles to the plane of said support and wheels to prevent its movement along its axis, while permitting insertion and removal of the cable by movement transverse to its axis, and means rigidly supporting said support at a predetermined distance from said common axial plane.
 2. A clip according to claim 1, comprising also means yieldingly urging said wheels together.
 3. A clip according to claim 2, comprising adjustable stop means for maintaining a selected minimum spacing between said wheels.
 4. A clip according to claim 1, in which said means rigidly supporting said support comprises a member and adjustable means for placing said member at a selected distance from the common axial plane of the wheels.
 5. A clip according to claim 2, in which said means yieldingly urging said wheels together comprises a spring, moveable wheel supporting means engaged by said spring for urging the last said means and a wheel supported thereby toward the other wheel, and an adjustable reaction member for the spring, whereby adjustment of said reaction member regulates the force exerted by said spring.
 6. A clip according to claim 1, in which said means mounting said wheels comprises a swingably mounted arm rotatably supporting one of said wheels, a set screw engaging said arm to limit movement of the wheel carried thereby toward the other said wheel and adjustable to fix the minimal distance between said wheels, a spring engaging said arm to urge it toward the other said wheel and a second set screw adjustably supporting said spring to vary its force against said arm, and in which said support comprises a pivotal arm below said wheels and the said means rigidly supporting said support comprises a third set screw for adjusting the height of said support.
 7. A clip according to claim 1, comprising bleed valve means operated by said support, for operating selector valve means to supply operating fluid to the instrument when its cable is gripped in the clip.
 8. A clip according to claim 7, in which the said bleed valve means comprises a pivotally mounted arm and valve body carried thereby in operating relation to a seat, spring means urging the last said arm to press said body against said seat, adjustable screw means carried by said arm and engaging said cable support to move the valve operating arm to an open position when the said cable support arm is depressed by a cable inserted in said clip, while permitting said screw means to close the valve when the clip is empty.
 9. A clip according to claim 8, in which said valve operating arm moves between substantially fixed positions, regardless of the vertical adjustment of the cable support. 